Lions are just about ready for the real thing
The Lions’ Scottish scrum-half, Greig Laidlaw, feels the force of the Maoris.
George North continued his indifferent form by failing to claim cleanly when sliding back in a bid to sweep up a kick in behind. Nehe Milner- Skudder hacked on and Liam Messam finished.
Damian McKenzie’s conversion pushed the Maori into a 7-6 lead, after Halfpenny had posted two penalties for the Lions.
The Maori proved savvy at killing the ball every time the Lions edged deep into their territory to stop Gatland’s men capping several smart moves with a try.
Johnny Sexton’s half- break almost set
Leigh Halfpenny slots over one of his six penalties in Rotorua. Tadhg Furlong away, then Jon Davies dummied and swept through the line, but neither time could the Lions finish.
Halfpenny’s third penalty put the Lions 9-7 ahead at the top of the second quarter, only for petulance from Itoje to cost his side.
The England lock threw the ball away after being choke-tackled, and referee Jaco Peyper pushed the visitors back 10 metres, enough to let McKenzie slot the goal, with the Maori sneaking a 10-9 lead.
Halfpenny’s fifth penalty pushed the Lions into a 15-10 lead to open the second-half.
Tawera Kerr- Barlow was fortunate to escape a yellow card when he shouldercharged Halfpenny in the face, with the Lions full-back sliding low after being tackled.
The Lions produced a smart driving lineout, Ben Te’o powered close, and then Jamie George burrowed to the line.
The try was chalked off however, with the officials unable to determine whether George had reached the whitewash.
The Lions then ruined the Maori scrum, not once but twice, with referee Peyper awarding a penalty try from the second. The new rules mean penalty tries are automatically worth seven points, so the Lions led 22-10 with half an hour to play.
The Lions turned the screw, forcing another five-metre scrum. Taulupe Faletau drove close, and Itoje finished off. Halfpenny’s conversion pushed the Lions’ lead to 29-10.
A 70th- minute penalty from the same man completed the scoring.